Die Verteidigung ficht das Urteil mit einer Berufung an.

ficht ... an is the present-tense form of the separable verb anfechten.

In a legal context, anfechten means to challenge, to contest, or to appeal against something.

So in this sentence, das Urteil anfechten means to challenge the judgment/verdict.

Because anfechten is a separable verb.

In a normal main clause, German splits separable verbs:

• the conjugated part goes to the usual verb position
• the prefix goes to the end of the clause

So:

• infinitive: anfechten
• in this sentence: ficht ... an

Also, the verb changes its stem in the 3rd person singular:

• ich fechte an
• du fichtst an
• er/sie/es ficht an

Since Die Verteidigung is singular, German uses ficht ... an.

Die Verteidigung means the defense.

In legal German, it usually refers to:

• the defense side in a case
• the defense team
• the defendant’s legal representation

It is a feminine noun, which is why it takes die.

In this sentence, Die Verteidigung is the subject.

Das Urteil means the judgment or the verdict.

It is in the accusative case here because it is the direct object of anfechten:

• someone challenges something
• here, the defense challenges the judgment

Since Urteil is a neuter noun, both nominative and accusative singular use das:

• nominative: das Urteil
• accusative: das Urteil

So the form does not change, even though the case is accusative.

The preposition mit always takes the dative case, so:

• eine Berufung → nominative/accusative
• mit einer Berufung → dative

So einer is the correct dative form of the feminine article.

The phrase mit einer Berufung means by means of an appeal or with an appeal.

Berufung is a legal term meaning appeal.

It refers to a formal appeal to a higher court against a judgment.

So the sentence means that the defense is challenging the judgment by filing or using an appeal.

A learner should note that Berufung is specifically legal. It does not mean a general personal “calling” here.

The noun doing the action is the subject, and here that is Die Verteidigung.

A good way to see it:

• Die Verteidigung = nominative subject
• ficht ... an = verb
• das Urteil = object being challenged
• mit einer Berufung = additional phrase explaining how

So the structure is:

The defense + challenges + the judgment + by means of an appeal

Because anfechten is separable, and in a main clause the prefix an- goes to the end.

This is very common in German:

• Ich rufe dich an.
• Sie trägt den Termin ein.
• Die Verteidigung ficht das Urteil an.

So the final an is not a separate preposition here. It is the separated prefix of the verb anfechten.

Yes. German often allows some movement of phrases, especially adverbial phrases like mit einer Berufung.

For example, you could also say:

• Die Verteidigung ficht mit einer Berufung das Urteil an.

That is grammatically possible.

But the original sentence is very natural because it keeps the direct object das Urteil close to the verb and then adds the method mit einer Berufung afterward.

Yes. ficht ... an is present tense.

So the sentence literally means:

• The defense challenges the judgment by means of an appeal.

Depending on context, English might also translate it more naturally as:

• The defense is appealing the judgment.
• The defense is contesting the judgment by filing an appeal.

It depends on context.

Urteil can mean:

• judgment
• verdict

In legal translations, judgment is often broader and safer, especially if the sentence is about formally appealing a court decision.

So in this sentence, judgment may be the best default translation, but verdict can also be possible in some contexts.

Yes. anfechten can also mean to challenge, to dispute, or to contest more generally.

But it is especially common in formal, legal, or official contexts.

So here it sounds quite formal and legal, which fits the words Verteidigung, Urteil, and Berufung very well.